Gail Budgell - Newfoundland

Special spot keeps saving wetlands close to the heart

Sitting quietly on her cabin’s veranda looking out at Newfoundland’s Terra Nova River, Gail Budgell feels completely at home. Ducks fly overhead, moose and an abundance of other wildlife rustle in the bush nearby and gentle ripples of water stroke the shore. It’s a view that conjures fond memories from her childhood, but also gives rise to alarming questions about what her son and daughter will see when they sit in the same spot years from now. It’s a view that inspires Gail’s work as a Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) volunteer.

“I have two small children ages six and eight that I hope can grow up the same way I did,” she says. “I’m a very outdoor-oriented person and I want my children and their children to be able to enjoy and experience nature throughout their lives. I just feel that if we don’t protect these important areas, who will?”

After attending a DUC event in Clarenville, Nfld. with friends, Gail got the urge to organize something similar to support the wetland conservation cause in her hometown of Glovertown, approximately 100 kilometres away. Motivated by the fun she had at the event and driven by her passion for the environment, she organized a new volunteer chapter in Glovertown that hosted its first annual fundraising dinner in 2007.

“I roped my husband and a bunch of my friends into helping me out with organizing,” she says with a laugh. “But now they thank me for it because they love it. After the first event, they were all hooked!”

Gail says at first many of her fellow volunteers were hesitant to join because they felt they didn’t have enough time and, like her, were busy parents with a number of commitments. However, once they saw how easy it was to divide up the tasks, they were eager to sign up.

“Volunteering with DUC isn’t a lot of work, but it is a lot of fun. All of us on the committee have a blast together and take great pride in what we’re doing for Canada’s wetlands.”

Kelly Sandoval is DUC’s fundraising manager for Newfoundland. She says when Gail approached her about establishing a chapter in Glovertown, she was thrilled.

“Gail is exactly the kind of volunteer we needed to get people in the community interested in DUC and the importance of wetland conservation,” Sandoval says. “Her enthusiasm for the cause is contagious and her knowledge of the outdoors and conservation issues makes her a great ambassador for DUC. We are extremely lucky to have her as part of our volunteer network in Newfoundland.”

National volunteer week, April 19-25, is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the work of volunteers like Gail. Perry McCormick, DUC’s national manager of events, says evidence of the outstanding work of volunteers can be seen across the country.

“We have volunteers to thank for the waterfowl flying overhead and the healthy wetland areas below our feet,” McCormick says. “I’d like to personally thank every one of our 7,400 volunteers. It’s your efforts that make DUC’s wetland conservation work possible.”

Today, as Gail Budgell takes in the sights and sounds of her scenic cabin getaway, she feels good knowing that natural areas like it will be preserved for generations to come. And, for that she thanks DUC.

“When I see the work DUC has done, it gives me a lot of pride to know I helped make it possible. The work they do is truly making a difference – and that gives me hope for my kids.”